Container closure



p 5, 1967 B. WEIGAND 3,339,710

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed July 12, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fl G71 0 32 INVENTOR. L BRUNO WE/GA/VD 3'0 22 t BY 37 walk? flfw- LLHI ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1967 B. WEIGAND 3,339,170

CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed July 12, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5904/0 we'lsnn/o Fl 7 BY United States Patent 3,339,770 CONTAINER CLOSURE Bruno Weigand, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignor, by

direct and mesne assignments, to Tamper-Proof-Tops Industries Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Ontario Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,323 Claims. (Cl. 215-9) My invention relates to containers in the category of bottles, jars, vials and the like, and more particularly to containers of poisonous or harmful substances. Usually, such containers are marked or labeled to indicate the nature of their contents. However, closures for them are conventional screw or pressure caps, which may be opened with little effort. Thus, where young children have access to containers of harmful substances, usually located in a medicine cabinet in the home, they may not understand the markings or warnings on the containers that the substances are poisonous or otherwise harmful, and sample or consume them from sheer curiosity, often with injurious and even fatal consequences. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a closure for containers in the above category which-while employing the familiar screw-cap principle-is too difiicult for young children to open, and therefore prevents their access to injurious substances.

A further object is to employ a resistance factor in the novel closure which requires more pressure than a young child can exert in order to free the closure for the opening movement.

Another object is to design the resistance factor in the form of an external tensionable skirt depending from the screw-cap of the container, such skirt being placed under tension as the cap is turned in the closing direction.

A still further object is to include a locking factor in the closure which prevents the accidental unscrewing of the cap after it has been turned to the closed position.

An important object is to design the closure along lines of neatness and compactness, and in a manner to be produced inexpensively on a quantity basis.

A better understanding of the invention may be gained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a group perspective view showing the cap partly in section and separated from the container;

FIGS. 2 to 4 are elevational views showing progressive steps-by means of dotted linesin the turning of the screw-cap to engage it in closed relation with the container;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the screw-cap closed as just stated;

FIG. 6 is a group perspective view of a modification of the invention showing the resistance factor in a different location;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section showing the modified closure at the end of its closing movement;

Referring specifically to FIGS. 1 to 5, a typical container is shown at 12, the material thereof being glass or plastic substance. Containers in the category under consideration are extended with a neck 13 and a mouth 14. These parts may be integral with the body of the container or-when made of metal-attached by pressure, fusion or other techniques. For the purpose of the present invention the mouth of the container is thickened outwardly with a pair of ledges 16 formed with inclined cams 20 on the under side. Each cam progresses to the extent of a recess 18; and a stop lug 22 depends from the ledge 16 at the remote end of the recess.

The container formations just described are utilized by a screw-cap 24 to adapt it as a closure for the container. Thus, FIG. 1 shows that the cap 24 has a pair of segmental lugs 26 inside its walls, the lugs being located in a 3,339,770 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 manner to clear the ends of the ledges 16 when the cap is deposited for the usual turning movement to fit it as a closure for the container. At the inception of this movement the side lugs 26 climb the cams 20 as shown in FIG. 2. As the cap is turned further, the lugs are in positions to ride off the cams, as shown in FIG. 3; and at the end of the turning movement the lugs seat in the recesses 18 as shown in FIG. 4 and meet the stop lugs 22 to fix the end of the cap-turning movement.

The closing rotation of the conventional screw-cap does not create a resistance. Therefore, no special effort is required to unscrew the cap when the opening of the sameis desired, this factor making it easy for young children to open containers of both safe and unsafe substances. On the other hand, the closing movement of the screw-cap in the improved closure does build up a resistance or safety factor so formidable that, once the cap has been screwed down only strong pressure-properly capable of being exerted by persons old enough to know or read what the contents of the container are-can release the cap for the unscrewing movement.

The main form of the invention employs a skirt extension 28 as the resistance factor mentioned above. Thus, FIG. 1 shows that the skirt is a downward rim-like extension of the marginal cap wall which tapers to a relativelythin edge at the bottom. The extension is flared with a curve; and it is divided circumferentially by series of slots 30. As constituted the skirt has a factor of flexibility; and it is designed to bear on the surface of a ring 32 raised from the top of the containerwith a flattening tendency as the cap 24 is screwed down. The resistance built up in the skirt 28 therefore acts to snap the cap lugs 26 into the recesses 18 as the lugs ride off the cams 20, locking the cap against return motion. However, strong down-pressure on the cap will free the lugs 26 from the recesses and enable the cap to be unscrewed. The closure therefore incorporates a safety factor that keeps the cap locked while the container is stored or its contents are not needed; and the cap will not yield to attempts by young children to open it, because of the extra downpressure required to release the cap for the opening movement.

It is also the function of the cap 24 to secure a sealing closure with the container, in order that liquid or moisture may not escape from the same. For this purpose the cap is extended on the inside with a band-shaped stopper 34 which is designed to fit within the neck of the container when the cap is screwed down. As noted in FIGS. 1 and 5, the wall of the stopper is tapered in downward direction to lend the stopper a factor of compressibility; and the stopper is formed with a series of peripheral ribs 36 on the outside. Thus, the ribs will yield and the stopper become compressed as it enters the neck of the container, securing a tight fit therein.

In reference to the modification of FIGS. 6 and 7, it is noted that the element compressed by the closing rotation of the cap 24namely, the skirt 28has been removed therefrom and transferred in inverted position to the mouth of the container, as seen in the center portion of FIG. -6. FIG. 7 shows the skirt as a fllared rim flange 38 which is flexed into flattening form by the top 40' of the cap as the latter is screwed down. The flange 38 thus maintains an upward pressure on the cap to keep it locked, as in the previous instance. The flange 38 is supplied with slots 39 spaced therearound.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a container provided with a mouth portion: a cap having a cylindrical side wall applicable to the mouth portion of the container, circumferentially-spaced side lugs carried by the cap on the inside thereof, climbing cams carried by the mouth of the container and peripherally disposed thereon for engagement by said lugs when the cap is turned in the closing direction to draw the cap down, recess means for engage rnent by the lugs to preclude the cap from turning in the opening direction, and tensionable means depending from said side wall for securing the lugs in the recess means, said tensionable means including an annular extension member in the vicinity of said mouth portion in the applied position of the container, said extension member having a resilient wall portion disposed to extend alongside of said mouth with a free edge curved outwardly therefrom for spreading under tension by contact with a relatively fixed surface when the cap is turned in its closing direction.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said tensionable means is carried by the cap and wherein said fixed surface is provided on the container. ii

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said resilient wall A portion is provided with circumferen tlally spaced slots open to the free edge thereof.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein recesses are made on the mouth in proximity to said cams, the lugs falling into the recesses by force of the resistance built up in said tensionable means when the cap is turned to a closed position.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein recesses are made on the mouth in proximity to said cams, and stop lugs project from the mouth beyond said recesses, said side lugs falling into the recesses and meeting said stop lugs .as limits by force of the resistance built up in said tensionable means when the cap is turned to a closed position.

6. The structure of claim 1 whereifif'said side wall has a lower end, said tensionable means comprising an annular skirt depending from the lower end of said side wall of the cap with an outward flare.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said side wall has a lower end, said tensionable means :-comprising an annular skirt depending from the lower end of said side Wall of the cap with an outwardly-curved flare.

8. The structure of claim 1 wherein said side wall has a lower end, said tensionable means comprising an annular skirt depending from the lower end of said side wall with an outward flare and tapered toward its free edge.

9. The structure of claim 1 wherein said side wall has a lower end, said tensionable means comprising an annular skirt depending from the lower end of said side wall of the cap with an outward flare, and the skirt being tapered toward its bottom edge and formed with a circumferential series of slots.

10. The structure of claim 1 wherein said side wall has a lower end,.said tensionable means comprising an annular skirt depending from the lower end of said side wall of the cap with an outward flare, and the skirt being tapered toward its bottom edge and formed with a circumferential series of slots, the latter being radiallydirected and opening at said edge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,776,066 1/1957 Thornton 2159 X 3,158,553 11/1964 Carski 215-44 X 3,255,909 6/1966 Miller et a1. 215-43 3,259,935 7/1966 Miller 215-44 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,131,201 10/1956 France. 1,213,812 10/1959 France. 1,230,375 3/1960 France.

812,090 4/1959 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Netherlands (printed application) 282,518, 12/1964.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A CONTAINER PROVIDED WITH A MOUTH PROTION: A CAP HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL APPLICABLE TO THE MOUTH PORTION OF THE CONTAINER, CIRCUMFERENTIALLY-SPACED SIDE LUGS CARRIED BY THE CAP ON THE INSIDE THEREOF, CLIMBING CAMS CARRIED BY THE MOUTH OF THE CONTAINER AND PERIPHERALLY DISPOSED THEREON FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID LUGS WHEN THE CAP IS TURNED IN THE CLOSING DIRECTION TO DRAW THE CAP DOWN, RECESS MEANS FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE LUGS TO PRECLUDE THE CAP FROM TURNING IN THE OPENING DIRECTION, AND TENSIONABLE MEANS DEPENDING FROM SAID SIDE WALL FOR SECURING THE LUGS IN THE RECESS MEANS, SAID TENSIONABLE MEANS INCLUDING AN ANNULAR EXTENSION MEMBER IN THE VICINITY OF SAID MOUTH PORTION IN THE APPLIED POSITION OF THE CONTAINER, SAID EXTENSION MEMBER HAVING A RESILIENT WALL PORTION DISPOSED TO EXTEND ALONGSIDE OF SAID MOUTH WITH A FREE EDGE CURVED OUTWARDLY THEREFROM FOR SPREADING UNDER TENSION BY CONTACT WITH A RELATIVELY FIXED SURFACE WHEN THE CAP IS TURNED IN ITS CLOSEING DIRECTION. 